SPDC’s report Empirical Evidence of Upsurge in the Poverty Numbers: Pakistan, 2025 Scenario presents independent estimates showing that 43.5% of Pakistan’s population (about 105 million people) now lives below the poverty line, compared to the official figure of 28.9%. Drawing on the latest HIES 2024–25 data, the analysis highlights a disproportionate rise in urban poverty, a 6.9 percentage‑points increase since 2018-19, and a substantial rise in inequality measured by the Gini coefficient and Palma ratio.
